Though we all chuckled a little when one of the interviewees in Taylor’s documentary said that we had evolved as humans because of our anti slavery stance and child labor laws. However, it got me thinking. It wasn’t too long ago when a slave was counted as 3/5of a person, and children were simply seen as mini adults. Our idea of a person, or at least a person that deserves rights, as it seemed to make quite a change since even the 19th century.
Immortality has been seen in myth in many forms, as an eternal elixir, a golden fruit from the tree of life, and as the philosopher’s stone. This divine power has been a speculation of pure fantasy until very recently. Langdon Winner’s article, “Are Humans Obsolete?”, discusses the very real possibilities of obtaining the divine status of mythological legacy with the help of advanced technology. Continue reading
In his article on the potential ramifications of post-humanist technological advances, Winner denounces wealthy, privileged, insular Northern hemisphere scientists who “claim that the changes at issue are foreordained by history”. The author is rightly suspicious of the motives of corporation-funded scientific research, which seems to be geared towards making a bigger profit, rather than the good of humankind. There is also much to be said for his belief that problems such as insufficient housing and healthcare should be addressed first, before any post-humanist innovations are made. Unfortunately, this is an overly idealistic approach which is patently unrealistic when considered in conjunction with humans. Continue reading